We Showed Them What We’re Made Of: Charlotte’s Response to Operation Charlotte’s Web
Reflections on Indivisible Charlotte’s “In the Know Live” Panel Discussion by Freda Zeh and Wes Fryer
When U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) descended on Charlotte in November 2025, they expected an easy target. What they found instead was a city ready to fight back. The federal enforcement operation — which CBP itself dubbed “Operation Charlotte’s Web” — brought heavily armed agents in military camouflage into Charlotte neighborhoods, targeting immigrant communities across Mecklenburg County. But within days, a coalition of eleven organizations had mobilized, 70,000 people were receiving real-time safety alerts, and community members were filling church halls for “Know Your Rights” trainings and taking to the streets as volunteer verifiers.1 Within two weeks, CBP had left. Charlotte had pushed back.
In a recent edition of Indivisible Charlotte’s “In the Know Live,” co-hosts Wes Fryer interviewed four community leaders who were on the ground during and after the surge. Their accounts form an informative and moving portrait of what community organizing can accomplish — and what work still lies ahead.
The panelists included:
Héctor Vaca, Action NC, an activist organization that works for change in communities of color across North Carolina
Stefanía Arteaga, Carolina Migrant Network, which provides legal advocacy and direct support to immigrant families in the Carolinas
Marcelle Vielot, Charlotte Metrolina Labor Council, which advocates for worker’ rights and economic justice in our region
Rachelle Salo, Coalition Director for Indivisible Charlotte
The panel discussed why Charlotte was targeted, how community organizations responded, the legal landscape and how it failed, the economic impact of Charlotte’s Web and lessons learned.
What Is the Difference Between ICE and CBP?
For many community members, distinguishing between these two federal agencies is confusing. Stefanía Arteaga explained.
CBP (Customs and Border Protection) is a much older agency whose historical roots trace back to the mid-1800s. Its traditional jurisdiction covers the first 100 miles of the U.S. perimeter, and it has historically been heavily militarized. During Operation Charlotte’s Web, CBP agents were visibly present in full military camouflage and heavy gear — a presence Charlotte had never seen before.
ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is a newer agency, created about 25 years ago as part of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is a civil immigration enforcement agency — its agents enforce civil law, not criminal law, making them more akin to IRS agents than police officers. ICE agents typically do not wear uniforms, instead appearing in civilian clothing with bulletproof vests.
Arteaga noted that during the November operation, Charlotte saw less activity from ICE than CBP during the peak week — and saw more ICE activity in the weeks after CBP left. On CBP’s stated justification that Charlotte’s international airport gave them local jurisdiction, she was skeptical: “I think they were gonna (sic) use any excuse.”
What Happened During Operation Charlotte’s Web?
Charlotte had been building toward this moment for years — and so, it turned out, had CBP.
Arteaga said her organization received early intelligence that a major enforcement action was coming and she pointed to two decades of federal targeting of Mecklenburg County and a long-term strategy of documenting immigrant communities and cultivating sympathetic sheriffs. “When they said Charlotte, it was very clear they had been testing the waters for quite a while.”
CBP arrived in force: full military camouflage, heavy weapons, and a visible presence designed to intimidate. The operation targeted Latino-looking men in particular, with agents using interrogation tactics that Arteaga described as “potentially unethical and illegal.” Charlotte in November felt like a community “under siege.”
Marcelle Vielot called it, “Devastating. Terrifying. We have never in living memory experienced the direct impact of federal intrusion into the Queen City.”
But Charlotte did not simply absorb the blow. Rachelle Salo of Indivisible Charlotte recalled that by the time CBP’s arrival was confirmed on a Tuesday, Indivisible had already begun reaching out to partner organizations in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland to learn what had worked there. By Thursday, eleven organizations had formed a coalition.
“Unlike Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago,” Héctor Vaca noted, “Charlotte was the most successful because we got them <CBP> out of here within two weeks.” A shorter period than any other city that faced similar operations.
Why Was Charlotte Targeted?
The panelists offered multiple, overlapping explanations — political, historical, and strategic.
Héctor Vaca framed the operation bluntly: CBP came as part of “a campaign of terror” with a clear political agenda — to frighten immigrants into self-deporting and to pressure local officials into silence. He pointed to North Carolina’s legal constraints under what he called a version of Dillon’s Rule, which limits local governments from passing policies that contradict state law. That dynamic, he argued, makes Charlotte’s elected officials more cautious about taking strong progressive stands, knowing the Republican-controlled General Assembly could intervene. “CBP saw that as an opportunity,” he said.
Marcelle Vielot added a broader political framing: Charlotte is a blue city in a purple state — an essential swing state — and she interpreted the raids as a targeted effort to suppress organizing and remind the community “who’s in charge.”
Stefanía Arteaga pointed to the longer arc of federal strategy: years of tracking immigrant populations, organizing sympathetic sheriffs, and targeting the counties — Mecklenburg, Forsyth, Guilford, and Buncombe — where newly elected sheriffs had ended voluntary collaboration with ICE. Charlotte’s progress in removing the 287(g) agreement with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office in 20192 had been hard-won through years of electoral organizing. “A lot of these tactics are not only attacking immigrants and immigrants’ rights,” Arteaga said. “They’re attacking our democracy.”
How Did Community Organizations Respond?
The speed and depth of Charlotte’s response was possible because the relationships, infrastructure, and coalitions had been built long before CBP arrived.
Within days of confirmation, the Charlotte Immigrant Protection Alliance (CIPA) was formed — an eleven-organization coalition that included Indivisible Charlotte, Red Wine and Blue, CALM (a liberal moms Facebook group) , Action NC, Carolina Migrant Network, Charlotte Metrolina Labor Council, and others. Each group found its lane:
Action NC (Héctor Vaca) -members served as verifiers, confirmed sightings, organized emergency supply collection, lobbied for funding and launched a “You’re your Rights” campaign.
Carolina Migrant Network (Stefanía Arteaga) provided live safety alerts and coordinated a large volunteer verifier network.
Indivisible Charlotte (Rachelle Salo) leveraged its large retiree membership —to run street patrols, monitor schools, collect and deliver emergency supplies, and organize rapid response protests.
The Charlotte Metrolina Labor Council (Marcelle Vielot) conducted Know Your Rights training in multiple languages, connected business owners and union locals with resources, and served as a loud, aggressive voice when other organizations might be constrained by their funding structures
The CIPA coalition ran street patrols, monitored schools, collected and delivered emergency supplies, and organized rapid response protests as well as communicating how community members could get involved.
What Did the Legal Landscape Look Like — and Where Did It Fail?
Stefanía Arteaga was candid: “Legal mechanisms failed, continue to fail, and have failed for a really long time.”
North Carolina holds the only immigration court for the entire Carolinas, and it consistently ranks 47th to 50th in the country for access to legal representation. Because immigration is a civil matter, individuals have no guaranteed right to a public defender; those who cannot afford counsel face court alone.
The situation worsened significantly in early 2025 when the Trump Administration began targeting law firms that represented immigrant-rights organizations. Many of the pro bono legal partners Carolina Migrant Network had relied upon withdrew quickly, dealing the organization a serious early blow in its capacity to serve the community.
During the week of CBP’s presence, Carolina Migrant Network conducted 66 legal intakes — screenings to identify legal options for individuals with detained loved ones. The following week that number doubled to 136. But the organization had only 61 volunteer attorneys available, each taking one or two cases — far short of what was needed.
Most alarming, deportations were happening so rapidly that individuals were being removed to their home countries before advocates could even locate them. In one case, a man taken from a church was back in his home country within two days. “The immigration legal landscape is one that is very flawed by design,” Arteaga said.
What Was the Economic Impact on Charlotte’s Workers?
The economic disruption from Operation Charlotte’s Web was significant and, in many sectors, is ongoing. Comprehensive data is still being gathered, and systematic documentation is being prepared for East Charlotte. The South Boulevard corridor — another area with a large immigrant community — was also heavily affected but has received less attention.
Marcelle Vielot described work site stoppages and pervasive fear across immigrant-heavy industries: building trades, restaurants, retail, and Charlotte Douglas International Airport — the sixth-busiest airport in the world. Workers were afraid to work and feared they would be unable to get back home.
The psychological and safety effects were profound. “Can you imagine if you are on a boom lift 60 feet in the air and there’s a raid happening below you?” Vielot indicated that workers continue to be worried about this.
Some sectors, Vielot noted, have never fully recovered financially. The labor movement also tracked specific cases nationally, including detained union members whose cases were ultimately resolved through sustained union pressure — a reminder that organized labor carries tools for protection other organizations cannot always access.
What Were the Lessons Learned for Community Leaders?
Héctor Vaca emphasized that movements are strongest when led by those who are most directly affected and allies should not inadvertently displace them. He also noted that the immigrant community is being used as a political vehicle to attack everyone’s rights.
Marcelle Vielot noted that organized labor tends to operate in silos and that was challenged by this experience. She urged every organization to lean to its unique strengths. She also asked everyone to consider their legacy and show up in a way that you would be proud to tell your children and grandchildren about.
Stefanía Arteaga pointed to an unexpected lesson in unity: “Charlotte has never been more united than that week.” From neighbors buying groceries for neighbors to organizations delivering warm dinners to exhausted staff, the crisis activated deep community care. “In the midst of a crisis, there is still joy and resilience.”
Héctor Vaca closed with an urgent note on self-care that applies to every organizer and volunteer: take small moments to recover. Go for a walk. Be with loved ones. “A healthier volunteer and organizer is a healthier movement — a movement that will win.”
What Does the Road Ahead Look Like?
The work is far from over. CBP has signaled it will shift to more covert tactics, ICE activity has continued since the operation ended, and there are still individuals detained during Charlotte’s Web who have not been fully accounted for. Legal battles continue. The infrastructure built during the crisis must now be sustained and strengthened for the long haul. People can participate now in building for the future:
On May 1st — a Friday, at 5 PM — Action NC and coalition partners held the Second Annual May Day March on Central Avenue, starting at the Landmark Coalition and ending at 8 PM at Manolo’s Bakery. It is aimed at building relationships, unifying the movement and mobilizing people for future events. Organizers expect more than the nearly 3,000 people who marched last year. The march, a collaboration between labor and the immigrant community, will include cultural presentations, speeches from labor and immigrant organizers, elected officials, and the unveiling of a new immigrant-affirming mural. Participants can park at Commonwealth High School.
Links and Ways to Get Involved
Watch or listen to the full recording on Substack or YouTube
Learn more about the Charlotte Metrolina Labor Council / NC AFL-CIO
A verifier for immigration purposes is an individual or entity responsible for confirming the authenticity of documents that are required for immigration applications. This process is crucial for ensuring that individuals are legally entitled to work or reside in the United States.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) constituting an agreement between the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Mecklenburg County, North Carolina (County), and the Sheriff's Office of Mecklenburg County, Nor.th Carolina to create a project under which ICE authorized nominated, trained and certified personnel in the MCSO to perform certain immigration enforcement functions.